TITLE: NOW WHAT?
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Author: Hjmugillecuty ) P
Pairing: Pacey/Joey P
Spoilers: All episodes, all seasons, story takes place following the Finale scene with Dawson and Joey watching Alexander and Lilly climb the ladder. P
Rating: PG P
Disclaimer: The characters and locations in this story do not belong to me, they belong to their original creators and copyright owners, and I make no profit. P
Author's note: This is my first Dawson's Creek story and I hope you like it. I welcome all constructive criticism and feedback, but ask for no flames. Thank you. Oh, and I named Gail's husband Steve just because. P
Joey Potter walked slowly through the Capeside cemetery, making her way to the newest grave. She knelt down next to the fresh mound of dirt and looked at the paper marker that would soon be replaced by a headstone. Jen Lindley was buried next to her grandfather, who had died almost eleven years before. Joey placed the flowers she had brought on the dirt and began to speak to her friend. P
"I'm sorry Jen. I'm sorry we lost you. I wish I had been a better friend to you, but I guess I was always too caught up in my own drama. I will give you that dying wish though. I will make my choice. I will stop running. I told you that I've always known which one I loved, that I've always known my place in the triangle. You asked me which one, but I never got to tell you the answer. I think you know, because how could I have chosen any differently? It's Pacey. It's always been Pacey." Joey rested her hands on the ground. "Did I ever tell you about the first time he kissed me? Well, the first time when it wasn't a dare, a game, or scripted by Dawson. It was the night of the carnival, when you and Dawson were on a double date with...somebody. Pacey and I had been looking for snails. And at the end of the night, he kissed me. I didn't know why, but he realized I was still so caught up in my crush on Dawson that it didn't go anywhere. But can you imagine how much trouble we could have avoided if I had realized then what I know now? Everything could be so different. But I don't regret it. Because everything we've done in our lives led us to where we are now. P
"I never said 'thank you,' did I? Thank you for coming to Capeside. Thank you for being the spark that changed our little group from children to adults. It was really because of you that everything changed. You helped inspire us to become who we are now. If you hadn't come, we might have remained in our stagnant existence, a group of friends too scared to say what we really felt about each other and about life. So thank you for helping lead me to this point. P
"I promise that we'll take care of Amy for you. Jack is going to be an amazing father, but I swear to you that when she needs help with the female things that I will be there, to answer any questions and to be a shoulder to lean on. Pacey and I will help her and help Jack take care of her. We will be her family. And I promise that we will all stay friends. And we'll miss you." P
Joey stood slowly, wiping the tears from her eyes and the dirt from her knees. "Bye Jen." She whispered as she walked out of the cemetery, intending to walk back into town. She had gone less than half a block when a police car pulled up next to her. P
"Joey!" She turned to see Doug Witter at the window. "Do you need a ride?" P
"Sure." She climbed into the front seat next to him. P
"Where you headed?" Doug asked as they started driving. P
"Can you drop me at the Icehouse?" P
"I'm going there anyway." Doug smiled. "I have to pick up Jack and Amy." P
"Why are they there?" Joey asked, and then felt stupid for asking such a banal question. P
Doug laughed. "Pacey and Jack are working out a babysitting schedule. Jack's gonna keep teaching so Amy may spend some formative years in a restaurant." P
"Think I could get some time in that schedule?" Joey asked softly. P
Doug threw her a sidelong glance. "Don't you have to go back to New York?" He asked carefully. P
"I'm hoping I'll have a reason to come visit more often." Joey answered, just as carefully. P
"Joey, are you implying what I think you are?" P
Joey smiled. "Do you think I'll have a reason to come to Capeside?" P
"I suppose it depends on why you are going to the Icehouse." P
"I have to talk to Pacey." P
Doug pulled over to the side of the road and turned to face Joey. P
"Joey, promise me you aren't going to hurt him. Promise me you aren't going to break his heart." P
"Doug, I love him. I'm happy when I'm with him. And I promised Jen that I would stop running from him and from myself." P
"And Dawson?" P
"All I ever wanted was for Dawson to still be our friend. For so long it seemed that the choice was between Pacey's love and Dawson's friendship. We're finally at a point where its not either/or. I can finally have both." P
"Okay." Doug pulled back into traffic. "You make him happy too. He's happiest when you are around. He's loved you for so long. Right now, he's content, but he's not happy. Not like when you two came back on the boat. The only other time I've seen him close to that happy was about five years ago." P
"When your dad had the first heart attack?" Joey asked, remembering. P
"Yeah. Not because of the angina, of course. But other than that," Doug glanced at her, seeing a smile, "Joey, were you two together then?" P
"We almost were. Did he tell you about how we got locked in the Kmart?" P
"Yes." P
"We kissed that night and we started considering dating again. But then Eddie came back and I ran away from Pacey. I promise I won't make that mistake again." P
"Good. Because Amy is going to need her Aunt Joey and her Uncle Pacey. And she'll be happy if you are happy together." P
"And so will Daddy Doug?" Joey asked with a grin. P
"And Daddy Jack, Grandma Ryan, Uncle Dawson, Bessie and Gail. Not to mention Alexander and Lilly." Doug smiled back. P
"Then I'd better not let everyone down." Joey joked. P
"You never will. We're all proud of you and of Pacey. You've done so much with your lives separately. I can't wait to see what you'll do together." P
Doug pulled into the parking lot at the Icehouse. Joey and Doug climbed out of the car and looked up at the restaurant. On the balcony stood Pacey and Jack with Amy in her carrier on the table in front of them. The two grown men were tickling and teasing the child. Joey and Doug could hear Amy's clean; pure laughter and grins bloomed on their faces. They walked up to join the two as Jack looked up to see them. P
"Doug! Joey!" P
"Hey Jack. Hey Pacey." Joey answered, and then turned to the baby. "Hi Amy!" She reached out and tickled the child, causing her to laugh again. P
"Hi guys." Doug smiled. "You about done here?" P
"Yeah, we were just finishing up." Pacey replied. "What about you and Miss Potter?" P
"Oh, I found her wandering the streets. Thought I bring her here for a good meal." P
"Doug!" Joey punched his shoulder good-naturedly. P
"Well Jack, Amy and I will leave you two alone, relatively." Doug looked around proudly at the full restaurant. P
"Sure. Come back tonight for dinner you two." P
"Thanks Pace. See ya tonight." Jack and Pacey hugged, and then Doug picked up Amy's carrier and led the way to the police cruiser. Joey sat down at the table, watching the little family leave. P
"Can you believe that?" She asked Pacey as he sat down across from her and motioned for some menus. P
"They're happy." Pacey smiled at her. They ordered and sat for a moment in silence. P
"So why were you wandering the streets?" Pacey asked. P
"I wasn't wandering, really. I went to talk to Jen." P
"Jo..." P
"No, I went to the cemetery. I was the only one talking, trust me." P
Pacey smiled again, with relief. P
"I went to talk to Dawson first," Joey started. Pacey looked down at the table. "I wanted to make sure we would still be friends. Even though no matter what his answer was, it wasn't going to change what I have to say to you." P
"And?" Pacey asked the tabletop. P
"And he said it doesn't matter what happens. That he will always be our friend." Joey reached across the table and took Pacey's hand. He rested his other hand on top of hers and looked up into her eyes. P
"Potter..." he started, but was interrupted by the arrival of their food. After a minute or two, he tried again. "Jo, you started to tell me something that seemed really important the other day..." P
"Pacey..." She began. P
"Joey, Pacey, here you are." Bessie raced up to them. "Have you seen..." P
"Bessie, this really isn't a good time." Joey pleaded. P
"I was just wondering if you'd seen Jack?" P
"He and Doug just left, Bess." Pacey answered. P
"Oh. Well, what are you two..." P
"Bess," Pacey interrupted, "you and Alexander can have dinner tonight, on the house, if you'll just let me talk to Joey right now." P
"Pace?" Bessie asked, slightly stunned. P
"Plus, I'll do whatever maintenance the B & B needs for the next month." P
"You do that anyway." Bessie grinned. P
"Please, Bessie?" Joey asked. P
"Okay, I'll see you tonight." Bessie walked away, a thoughtful expression on her face. Her phone rang as she left. P
"Alright Jo, you were saying something." P
"Pace, I've realized that we always had this thing figured wrong. I had to make a choice, yes, but it was a choice to stop running from the things that make me happy. Because I want to be happy. I've been afraid my whole life because every time I thought I was happy, things fell apart. My mom, my dad, I you /I . But I'm ready to be happy now. But I also wanted to be sure that no matter what I chose, I would still have my friends." P
"Joey..." P
"Let me finish, Pacey. I love I you I . I've loved you for so long that I can't even remember when it started. You said the other day that you wanted me to be with someone who makes me feel the way you do when you're with me. Well, you're that someone. You always have been. When I'm with you, life makes sense." P
"Joey, are you saying..." P
"I love you, the way a woman should love a man." Joey smiled crookedly at Pacey's befuddled face. P
"Really?" P
"Really." She squeezed his hand for emphasis. P
"I love you too." Pacey leaned over the table, capturing her lips with his. They shared a soft kiss. They separated slowly. Then Pacey tucked a strand of hair behind Joey's ear, cupping her cheek. He kissed her again, more deeply this time. P
Joey smiled as Pacey pulled away. "Now what?" She asked. P
"Well now, I take you back to the B & B, where you get ready for our dinner with Bessie, Alex, Doug and Jack." P
"No, Pacey, I meant..." P
"We'll talk about it tonight, I promise Potter. Don't worry." Pacey grinned and Joey's expression soon matched his. P
He drove her home, leaving her with another few kisses at the doorstep. She went to her room, still so dazed that she didn't hear Bessie until she opened the door. P
"Bess, you scared me." P
"Sorry Jo. So," Bessie sat down on the bed, "what happened?" P
"What?" P
"C'mon Joey. You and Pacey seem to have been engaged in some kind of serious conversation. What's going on?" P
"Can I tell you later? I need to get ready for dinner." P
"Sure." Bessie gave her a smile. "By the way, Gail and Lilly are going to join us tonight. She called while you were gone. Steve's going to open Leery's and I guess Dawson left this afternoon." P
"Yeah, he had to get back." P
"Get ready." P
TO BE CONTINUED